Boeing B-47 Stratojet

Boeing B-47 Stratojet was a Strategic Air Command bomber aircraft designed by Boeing and powered by General Electric J47 turbojet engines. The B-47 Stratojet was the first swept-wing jet bomber and played a crucial role in the development of modern United States Air Force tactical aviation. The B-47 was designed by a team led by Edward Curtis Wells and George S. Schairer, and its first flight was piloted by Guy Mabry and Russell E. Thaw on December 17, 1947, from Seattle's Boeing Field. The B-47 was also influenced by the work of NACA Langley Research Center and National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.

● Design and Development

The design of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet was influenced by the Arado Ar 234 and Messerschmitt Me 262 German jet aircraft captured during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces. The B-47 featured a swept-wing design, which was tested by NASA's predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, at the Langley Research Center and Ames Research Center. The B-47 was powered by six General Electric J47 turbojet engines, which were also used in the North American F-86 Sabre and Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star. The B-47 was designed to carry a nuclear bomb and was equipped with a AN/APS-19 radar system developed by Hughes Aircraft Company and MIT Radiation Laboratory.

● Operational History

The Boeing B-47 Stratojet entered service with the Strategic Air Command in 1951 and was operated by SAC units such as the 306th Bombardment Wing and 307th Bombardment Wing. The B-47 was used for nuclear deterrence and was equipped with nuclear bombs designed by Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The B-47 was also used for reconnaissance missions and was equipped with cameras developed by Eastman Kodak and Fairchild Camera and Instrument. The B-47 played a key role in the development of the United States Air Force's tactical aviation capabilities and was used in Red Flag exercises at Nellis Air Force Base.

● Variants

The Boeing B-47 Stratojet was produced in several variants, including the B-47A, B-47B, and B-47E. The B-47A was the first production variant and was used for test and evaluation by the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base. The B-47B was the main production variant and was equipped with J47-GE-23 turbojet engines developed by General Electric. The B-47E was a reconnaissance variant equipped with cameras and sensors developed by Lockheed Skunk Works and MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Other variants included the XB-47D, YB-47, and RB-47H, which were used for experimental and reconnaissance missions.

● Specifications

The Boeing B-47 Stratojet had a length of 109.4 feet and a wingspan of 116 feet. The B-47 was powered by six General Electric J47 turbojet engines, which produced a total of 21,000 pounds of thrust. The B-47 had a maximum speed of 607 mph and a service ceiling of 40,000 feet. The B-47 was equipped with a AN/APS-19 radar system and a nuclear bomb bay. The B-47 had a crew of three, including a pilot, co-pilot, and navigator, and was equipped with ejection seats developed by Northrop Grumman and Martin-Baker.

● Operators

The Boeing B-47 Stratojet was operated by the United States Air Force and was used by several SAC units, including the 306th Bombardment Wing and 307th Bombardment Wing. The B-47 was also used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force for training and evaluation purposes. The B-47 was used in several military exercises, including Red Flag and Operation Chrome Dome, and was equipped with nuclear bombs designed by Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The B-47 was retired from service in the 1960s and was replaced by the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress and Rockwell B-1 Lancer. Category:Aircraft